Column 2 is the side of the HTSUS listing the higher duty rates that apply to imports from countries that have not been granted Normal Trade Relations (NTR) status. Column 2 rates often dramatically exceed the Column 1 General (MFN/NTR) rate — they reflect the statutory rates in effect under the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, before decades of GATT/WTO concessions reduced them in Column 1.
As of 2026, Column 2 applies to imports from:
- Cuba — Has not received MFN/NTR since 1962
- North Korea (DPRK) — Has not received MFN/NTR since 1951
- Russia — NTR suspended by Congress in April 2022 (P.L. 117-110)
- Belarus — NTR suspended by Congress in April 2022 (P.L. 117-110)
For Russia and Belarus, the legal mechanism is a suspension of NTR rather than a formal Column 2 designation, but the practical effect on the Entry Summary is the same: imports pay Column 2 rates.
The Column 1 / Column 2 differential can be enormous:
| HTS line | Column 1 General | Column 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Steel forgings (7326.19.00) | 2.9% | 45% |
| Plywood (4412.39.40) | Free | 40% |
| Aluminum sheet (7606.11.30) | 3% | 25% |
| Bicycles (8712.00.15) | 5.5% | 30% |
| Ceramic dinnerware (6912.00.45) | 4.5% | 55% |
In addition to Column 2 rates, imports from these countries are typically subject to layered sanctions, export-control restrictions, and (for Russia in particular) a series of Section 232, Section 301, and IEEPA-based prohibitions. The Column 2 rate is the starting point — the full landed-cost analysis often shows that legal importation is impossible at any rate.
For sanctions-compliant trade with Russia/Belarus that remains permitted (e.g., medical exports, certain agricultural products under general licenses), the Column 2 rate applies on top of all other applicable measures.